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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-31-2014 01:51 AM

Colie CVT

When one of the vets I work with was asked what to consider to help put weight onto a dog, he said that carbs was the way to go. The amount of protein and fat is almost a catch 22 I noticed with some of those really high end brands. It tends to make a hotter diet than the dogs can handle. Think about a horse that gets nothing but grain without any hay and you likely get the same idea there. It can cause trouble.

My pup is eating a mix of NutriSource Large Breed Adult Lamb and EVO Red Meat. He has been always a touch on the thinner side, but his body obviously has good developed muscles and if he hasn't been running around like a meat head, his stools actually are firm. There's grains in the NutriSource, however the brand tends to score high on DFA as does EVO. (I got the EVO at a super nice price since the store I buy food from wants to get rid of some bags that will expire soon. I likely plan to clear them out of bags. )

So that may be something to consider. Carbs tend to help us put weight on, so for a young and active pup, it would hopefully help with the weight too.

05-31-2014 01:34 AM

huntergreen

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindsay1126

I don't feel it is needed but that it may help since he is so active an has a high metabolism.

imho, i doubt he needs the extra protein, but i am far from an expert. instead of rotating i would feed two smaller meals per day and mix the two until you find a ratio that he/she tolerates.

05-30-2014 06:11 PM

barnyard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy Calloway

Just saw this. My GSD (18 mos) was on TOW til February. He weighed 70 pounds and was a picture of health. I was scared of TOW and Diamond so started to transition him to Origen. I did it VERY SLOWLY. At 50/50 he got loose stools but ONLY in the afternoons. I changed to Acana after two weeks of the unformed stools. SAME THING happened w Acana. I talked to both companies several times for advice. It only got worse. Ended up at VET with Metronidazole and HILLS RX WD formula. This has been a horrible 8 weeks. He has lost down to 63 pounds! He is now OFF of WD (the stools did firm up) but he was eating 6 cups a day and I hated every meal for him. Now the VET has him on PURINA PRO SELECT Sensitive Stomach. HE has done very well on that for one month. I cannot WAIT to get to a better food and am researching Natures Logic and Annamaet and Dr. Tims. All three are highly ranked at DFA. I have talked to a human at all three companies about the food. Noticed that the 2nd ingredient of MANITOK (which was rec to me by Annamaet) is POTATO! However, Potato is in Tast of Wild. HORRIBLE things are in WD so I figure my dog does not really have a terribly sensitive stomach. Whole Grain Corn is the 1st indredient of that Rx food!

If you know anything about those three I mentioned please tell me. I'm giving him Dr. Mercola Enzymes and starting on Vetri Science Probiotics. I am leaning toward NL Lamb formula next. Comments?

If he has done well on Pro Plan and Taste of the Wild, I think I would be
leaving him on that, honestly. Anyway, we use Dr. Tim's Kinesis. We love it, and the dogs do great. I do a rotation diet but the two I have right now can eat anything. Right now my older girl is eating Horizon Pulsar, and my younger one is eating Nature's Domain Salmon (which is a Diamond product). After that they will go back to Dr Tim's for the rest of the summer and probably fall.

05-30-2014 09:42 AM

Nancy Calloway

Just saw this. My GSD (18 mos) was on TOW til February. He weighed 70 pounds and was a picture of health. I was scared of TOW and Diamond so started to transition him to Origen. I did it VERY SLOWLY. At 50/50 he got loose stools but ONLY in the afternoons. I changed to Acana after two weeks of the unformed stools. SAME THING happened w Acana. I talked to both companies several times for advice. It only got worse. Ended up at VET with Metronidazole and HILLS RX WD formula. This has been a horrible 8 weeks. He has lost down to 63 pounds! He is now OFF of WD (the stools did firm up) but he was eating 6 cups a day and I hated every meal for him. Now the VET has him on PURINA PRO SELECT Sensitive Stomach. HE has done very well on that for one month. I cannot WAIT to get to a better food and am researching Natures Logic and Annamaet and Dr. Tims. All three are highly ranked at DFA. I have talked to a human at all three companies about the food. Noticed that the 2nd ingredient of MANITOK (which was rec to me by Annamaet) is POTATO! However, Potato is in Tast of Wild. HORRIBLE things are in WD so I figure my dog does not really have a terribly sensitive stomach. Whole Grain Corn is the 1st indredient of that Rx food!

If you know anything about those three I mentioned please tell me. I'm giving him Dr. Mercola Enzymes and starting on Vetri Science Probiotics. I am leaning toward NL Lamb formula next. Comments?

05-07-2014 05:06 PM

jafo220

My previous GSD ate around the same amount and he held a respectable weight and he was also highly active. You will have to keep a close watch on his weight though. Once his metabolism slows he might put on weight quickly.

As far as switching, I've done it both ways. But like to stay with one food brand. I recently started feeding Taste of the Wild and feed 3 cups a day.

I don't feel it is needed but that it may help since he is so active an has a high metabolism.

05-06-2014 07:17 PM

huntergreen

lindsey, why do you think the higher protein is needed?

05-06-2014 06:08 PM

lindsay1126

Ok so I talked to his vet and she said, she thought he was fine but would be glad to do blood work for me. I bring him in tomorrow. In the mean time he doesn't have too much Fromms left so I picked up a smaller bag or Orijen adult to start transitioning. have had to do cold turkey switches from Acana to fromms before with absolutely NO side effects, but I figured since Orijen is so much higher in protein I would want to do it slowly. I know you should start off with 3/4 fromm with 1/4 Orijen but Orijen has more calories than Fromms so I am wondering what every bodies recommendations would be. TIA

05-06-2014 02:47 PM

LaRen616

I don't rotate between brands, I only rotate between flavors of the same brand.

Some people can rotate other brands with their dogs and the dogs do fine but some dogs get runny stools or tummy issues.

That's why people recommend that when you switch to a different kibble you should add old kibble with new kibble and make the transition slowly.

05-06-2014 02:37 PM

lindsay1126

Any suggestions to my original question about rotation?

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